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Investigations

Owner of Bus Company Pleads Guilty to Operating Without FMCSA Authority

On March 13, 2014, Angel De La Torre, former owner of Angel Tours, a commercial motor carrier, based in Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to operating a commercial motor vehicle after an unsatisfactory rating.

Our investigation disclosed that De La Torre and Angel Tours operated a commercial motor vehicle after being placed out of service due to an unsatisfactory safety rating following an FMCSA inspection that uncovered numerous record keeping and safety violations. As a result of this inspection, FMCSA ordered Angel Tours to cease all interstate transportation on June 23, 2008.

On May 30, 2013, Angel De La Torre, Carlos Ortuno, and Angel Tours of Houston, Texas, were indicted in U.S. District Court, Houston, Texas, on charges of conspiracy, false statements, and operating a commercial motor vehicle after being placed out of service. The charges relate to an August 2008 fatal crash of an Angel Tours passenger bus near Sherman, Texas, which occurred weeks after FMCSA ordered them to cease all interstate transportation.

This case was investigated jointly with the FBI, with assistance from FMCSA.